Rene Douglas booking mounts for Angel Rodriguez

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Former jockey Rene Douglas, who was left paralyzed following a riding mishap nearly 11 years ago at Arlington Park, has joined the local jockey agent ranks having taken the book of fellow Panamanian born rider Angel Rodriguez. The 19-year-old Rodriguez, who has been riding most recently in Saudi Arabia, returns to Gulfstream Park where he won 15 races during the 2018-19 Championship meet and seven more through the end of the spring session last year. He’ll start back locally on Saturday riding Hidden Facts for trainer Brian Lynch in the $75,000 Captiva Island Stakes.

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“I’ve known Angel since he was 16,” Douglas said. “He won the prestigious El Presidente Cup for me aboard Coltimus Prime as a bug boy in 2017. He won over 400 races before coming to the U.S. and has had success here at Gulfstream Park before. All he needs is a chance. My son was originally going to take his book, but ultimately decided to go off to college instead. I really believe in this kid. He’s been working hard, getting on a lot of horses in the morning for Brian, Jorge Navarro, Ralph Nicks, and Wesley Ward just to name a few, and I think once given an opportunity he’s going to win a lot of races here.”

Confined to a wheelchair since his injury, Douglas acknowledges getting around the barn area with his rider will not be an easy task.

“I want to be able to be with him, take him around to meet trainers as much as I can, and I know it won’t be easy,” Douglas said. “I’m going to do the best I can, but a lot of agents conduct their business on the phone and from their home these days, so it should work out just fine. I think this is going to be very good for him and very good for me, too.”